Master’s degree, Department of Geology

2024 Spencer Grant

Originally from Ghana, Kwaku Asiedu came to the U.S. to work toward a master’s degree in geology through the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. His research used Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), computational modeling, and borehole geophysical logging to better understand subsurface fracture characteristics and their influence on groundwater recharge and aquifer connectivity.

Spencer Grant funding supported his data collection in southwest Georgia and helped him receive training in specialized software used to process the ERT field data. The funding also allowed him to present research at the American Society of Geophysics (AGU) annual conference in Washington D.C. 

“This grant helped fill a key gap in my funding, allowing me to carry out portions of the work that would have been difficult otherwise,” he said. 

“One of the most interesting findings from my research was correlating mapped lineaments on the surface with potential subsurface fracture networks,” he said. “Though the survey could not probe to deeper depth, an extension of this fracture within the subsurface may indicate a potential hydraulic connection between the Ocala limestone and Claiborne aquifer. This insight has broader implications for how we manage groundwater resources in karst terrains.”

Asiedu is now pursuing a PhD in geology and researching reservoir modeling of CO₂ injection into deep saline formations, with applications for carbon storage and geothermal energy.